July 18, 2001
Page A5
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Co-op Grocery Opens on Northeast Alberta
L t± PERLMAN
lH £ PORTLAND OBSERVER
Inner-Northeast Portlanders have
a new place for groceries.
The Alberta Co-operative Grocery
recently opened its doors at 1500N.E.
Alberta St. The store serves custom
ers from 10 a m. to 8 p.m., Monday
through Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m.
on Sundays.
A grand opening with free food
tastings and entertainment is set for
July 28.
The co-op grew out o f a commu
nity survey conducted by the Sabin
Community Development Corp, in
1996. Asked what services the neigh
treasurer and spokesperson Bill Boyd
says.
The group began with a “buyer’s
club,” buying items in bulk at whole
sale prices to save money, in 1999.
They learned the ins and outs o f
operating a store from other co-ops
and from Portland State University’s
Business Outreach Program, whereby
students advise businesses on sales
and marketing practices. Die Port
land Development Commission pro
vided about 35 percent o f their
$ 135,000 startup costs, the rest com
ing from their 230 members.
The store offers many - though not
all - o f the features o f a full-service
- half the size o f the old N ature’s
Fremont store, before the company
moved out in search o f more space -
precludes stocking everything you’d
find in a conventional grocery.
Many products are precluded by
Steinfeld’s Pickles. Nor does it pro
vide meat, fish or poultry.
However, they do stock bananas.
“I know they’re organic, but clearly
they’re not local and I can’t be sure
they meet fair labor practices,” Boyd
our values. If people want Coke or
Kellogg’s cereals, they don’t need
another outlet for that. W ecan’t be all
things to all people.”
One thing the grocery will offer is
a chance to get involved in the store
beyond merely shopping there. For
$36 a year you can join the co-op,
which gives you both a five percent
discount on purchases and a vote on
policies. If you volunteer at least five
hours o f work a month, the discount
could be as high as 15 percent. They
also honor discounts for members of
rnun
79
other cooperatives. All their current
members live within a mile o f the
store, Boyd says. The store also de
votes some o f its precious space to a
bulletin board, a play area for children
and easy chairs for adults.
“We want to be more than a place
to load up the goods,” Boyd says.
“Not everyone will appreciate what
we do, but w e’ve heard an incredible
amount o f excitement about this in
the community. For months people
have been asking us, ‘when are you
going to open up?” ’
The weekend is
what you make o f it.
P hotos by M ark W ashington /T he P ortland O bserver
A weekend escape is closer than you think. In fact you'll find it at the
A wide variety o f fresh produce, featuringorganically grown varieties, are
featured in the new Alberta co-op.
Bill Boyd of the Alberta Cooperative Grocery welcomes a customer to the
new store at Northeast 15th and Alberta.
Seattle and Tacoma, you can unwind in the garden courtyard with a
borhood did not have and could use,
98 percent ofparticipants mentioned
a grocery store. Based on this, a group
o f 25 interested neighbors held a
meeting in April 1997 to consider start
ing such an enterprise. “There was so
much energy and enthusiasm,” board
the store’s values: a preference for
local companies, and ones that have
environmentally sound and fair labor
operations. Because o f the last con
sideration, the co-op is honoring a
national boycott against Pictsweet
O n io n s, and d o e s n o t sto c k
grocery store, including a produce
section, whole grains, dairy prod
ucts, canned goods, coffees and teas,
herbai remedies, home and health care
products and pet supplies.
There are some limitations. In part,
the storefront ’ s 2,900 square foot size
heated pool, melt away stress in the sauna, and even savor fresh
admits. “I don’t think w e’ll ever have
perfect standards.”
Store representatives are aware
that organic products do tend to cost
more, and that "price is a huge barrier
to people.” Still, Boyd says,” For
some things, w e’re holding true to
New Vision Outlined For Lloyd District
revised vision is taking
ment over the next 10 years.
shape for the develop
The new vision, led by a 16-
ment ofPortland’s Lloyd
member Steering Committee and the
District. The Portland Development
community, includes new urban hous
C om m ission approved a strategy
ing, thriving specialty shops and a
that will help guide developm ent
variety o f different types o f office
efforts in the Lloyd D istrict and
space in attractive mixed-use devel
identify public-sector capital im
opments. It also includes diverse
provem ents to support develop
dining and entertainment options and
A
a robust tourist economy, as well as
pedestrian friendly walkways, tree-
lined streets, bikeways and transit, and
many parks and plazas.
More detailed strategies for increas
ing housing and economic develop
ment are being explored further in two
adjacent studies being conducted this
summer including, the Lloyd District
Kids to Visit Ghana, West Africa
A group o f nine kids and six adults,
from All the W orld Ministries and
Fellowship Church, will leave July 24
for two weeks in Ghana, West Africa.
The children will learn about their
heritage and the culture o f the G ha
naian people. In turn, the African
children they meet will leant about
the culture o f the United States.
The group also plans to take
school supplies, toiletries, clothing
and toys to donate to their African
hosts. Most o f the children, lO to 15
years old, are from single parent
households. The ministry welcomes
contributions to offset the $2,000
cost for each person on the trip,
which includes tickets, hotel fees
and other expenses. Contributions
in checks or money orders can be
made in care o f Fellowship Church,
Trip to Ghana West Africa, 5131 N.E.
23rd Ave., Portland, OR. For more
information, call 503-249-0347.
Manage Your Business Reputation
T he P ublic R elations Society
o f A m erica at P ortland State U n i
versity w ill be having a rep u ta
tion m anagem ent co n ference for
public relations new com ers and
p ro fe ssio n a ls. P a rtic ip a n ts can
disco v er how to assess reputa-
tion and explore approaches to
building, preserving and restor
ing reputation. K eynote speakers
w ill be G ail D undas, C om m unity
A ffairs M anager at Intel and Pat
M c C o rm ic k , p a r tn e r w ith in
C onkling Fiskum & M cCorm ick,
In c .
T he event is on W ednesday,
July 25, from 1 - 4 p.m . at P S U ’s
Sm ith C e n te r, C ascad e Room .
For reserv atio n s, call 503/725-
3536 or m ake your request by
em ail at D rssapsu@ vahoo.com .
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